Path: utzoo!utgpu!ugw.utcs.utoronto.ca!CUVMA!SWL-L
Date:	Mon, 15 Jan 90 13:56:59 EST
Reply-To: Dennis Spexet <spexet@ux.acs.umn.edu>
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From:	Dennis Spexet <umn-d-ub!umn-cs!ux.acs!spexet%rsch.wisc.edu@BBN.COM>
Subject:      Re: Questions from a novice
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In article <37833@apple.Apple.COM> chuq@Apple.COM (Chuq Von Rospach) writes:
>joshi@cs.purdue.EDU (Anupam Joshi) writes:
>
>>           2)When I heard DXing programs from some stations
>>           they talked of reception reports in terms of a
>>           sequence of numbers between 1 and 5. What exactly is this
>>           format, and how do you assign these numbers to a transmission ?
>
>Old style radios had what was called an 'S-meter' which was simply a meter
>that showed relative signal strength. Most shortwaves still have some form
>of this, although these days many of them are LED based. Basically, it's a
>rating of the average strength and legibility of the radio signal, going
>from S-1 (very weak, high static, hard to understand) to S-9 (no static,
>pure voice tones, equivalent of listening to a local radio station). This
>helps the broadcaster figure out how well their signal is propogating and
>whether they're able to reach their chosen audiences.
>

The sequence of numbers referred to here is probably the SINPO code.  It
is a rather well-established and convenient way of indicating reception
quality.  The sequence consists of 5 numbers, in the order S-I-N-P-O:

[S]ignal Strength:      5-excellent
                        4-good
                        3-fair
                        2-poor
                        1-barely audible

[I]nterference          5-nil
                        4-slight
                        3-moderate
                        2-severe
                        1-extreme

[N]oise                 5-nil
                        4-slight
                        3-moderate
                        2-severe
                        1-extreme

[P]ropagation           5-nil
                        4-slight
                        3-moderate
                        2-severe
                        1-extreme

                        This represents the level of propagation disturbances,
                        or fading effects, for this particular station.

[O]verall quality       5-excellent
                        4-good
                        3-fair
                        2-poor
                        1-unusable

I hope this helps.
--
-Dennis R. Spexet II
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